1. The Universal needs of children

1.1 Activities and discussion

The following two Activities are designed to help you develop an understanding of the “universal needs of children,” and their relationship to children’s rights. The material that follows each of the activities will encourage you to think about ideas that are different from the way you have previously conceptualized children’s needs.

Activity 1.1 Create a List of Children’s Needs

Activity 1.1 focuses on the development of an understanding of the needs of children to ensure their optimal health and well being.

Objective

To gain an understanding of the range of children’s needs.

Instructions

For each of the four broad domains below identify what a child needs in order to fulfill his or her full potential for health and well-being:

  • Physical needs
  • Social and cultural needs
  • Psychological needs (including intellectual, emotional, and volitional needs)
  • Spiritual needs

How would you define lower and upper age limits of childhood as they relate to the children’s needs you identified?

Approach this task in general terms. It is not necessary to define the exact detail of the needs that you are describing.

Discussion

Discussion on Activity 1.1

Children’s needs define the prerequisites for their optimal growth, development, health and well being. Handout 1.1 provided below provides a suggested framework for considering and categorizing children’s needs.

Click 'View document' below to open Handout 1.1 A Framework of Children's Needs

Activity 1.2 Discuss the Characteristics of Children’s Needs

Activity 1.2 moves the discussion from listing and categorizing needs to develop an understanding of the characteristics of these needs and their relationship with rights.

Objective

To build an understanding of the relationship between needs and rights.

Instructions

Respond to these questions, in relation to children in your practice, your community, nation and the world:

  1. Which needs apply to all aspects of a child’s development?
  2. What inter-relationships exist between different needs?
  3. How do children’s needs change at different stages of their development? What influences children’s capacities as they grow up?
  4. Do these needs extend to all children in all societies, irrespective of the country’s wealth or stage of development?
  5. What is the relationship between needs and rights?

Discussion

Discussion on Activity 1.2

The following responses to the questions posed in Activity 1.2 may stimulate further thinking and/or discussion related to the characteristics of children’s needs

1. Which needs apply to all aspects of a child’s development?

Shelter is a physical need, but it does not fulfill psychological needs (intellectual, emotional and volitional needs), whereas education is needed for fulfillment of social and cultural needs, AND for the satisfaction of psychological needs. Is there a set of fundamental needs that are essential for the well being of children, as differentiated from more “trivial” needs of children?

2. What inter-relationships exist between needs?

A child’s need for health care will be influenced by whether or not s/he has access to an adequate standard of living. A child’s mental health and well-being will be influenced by access to a secure family life; by understanding and respect for his or her identity and culture; and by being listened to and taken seriously; as well as by access to appropriate mental health services.

3. How do the needs of children change through their various stages of development?

Privacy and respect for confidentiality are issues that are of increasing concern for older children, as is respect for their increased capacity for decision-making. However, physical needs endure throughout childhood, as do needs for protection from violence and discrimination. Children’s evolving capacities do not take place at pre-determined or specific ages. Children’s talents, their environments, the level of support they are given, opportunities for active engagement, as well as cultural expectations will all influence their capacities for decision-making and taking responsibility for their needs.

4. Do these needs extend to children in all societies, irrespective of wealth or stages of development?

These needs are universal to the health and well being of all children, whether or not they are all currently being met in the US, UK and in other developed countries, as well as in developing countries around the world.

5. What is the relationship between needs and rights

Children’s youth, vulnerability and lack of power mean that they are dependent on the adult world to ensure that their needs are met. This places obligations on adults to create the necessary conditions that will ensure this happens. This obligation extends not only to the fulfillment of needs for individual children, such as family life, access to health care or education, but also the consideration of public policies that potentially influence children’s health and development – housing, transport, environment, macroeconomics and poverty. Acceptance of the premise that adults have responsibilities or obligations to meet children’s needs is de facto acceptance that children are entitled to have their needs met. In other words, children have rights. These rights have been codified into the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Activity 1.3 Child rights ecology in practice

Objective

To identify the circles of influence on children and to examine their respective roles and responsibilities for children’s rights, wellbeing and development.

Instructions

Review the diagram of the child rights ecology in Figure 1.2.

The precise structure of the Child Rights Ecology will depend on the individual country, the child’s socio-cultural environment within it, and how the child interacts with and is situated within each system. Considering your country context, sketch out how children’s wellbeing and development is promoted within each system below:

  • Government
  • Family
  • Community
  • Civil Society

Discussion

Discussion on Activity 1.2

The following points may be explored in the activity:

Government

Does the government give a high priority to children in its policies? Does a commitment to promoting the best interests of children inform government policy? Does it engage/consult with the other systems in building a positive environment for children? Does it support parents and communities to promote children’s well-being?

Family

Do families generally promote the best interests of children? What are the strengths/weaknesses within prevailing cultural family practices which enhance/inhibit children’s development, (e.g. attitudes towards girls, children with disabilities, physical punishment, health and safety, education)? Do families have the resources and support needed to care adequately for their children? Does the wider family provide a supportive role? Do both mothers and fathers play an active part in child care and development?

Community

Is there a strong community to support the role of parents? What role does the community play in children’s lives? What is the role of community and religious leaders in children’s lives?

Civil society

Does civil society play an active role in supporting children, providing services or advocating for children’s rights and well-being? How do children relate to civil society organisations? Are they actively involved in those organisations themselves? What responsibilities does civil society take for the well-being of children?

Learning outcomes

1.2 Conclusion